1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an assembly for securing a catheter structure, such as an IV tube or the like, at an entry site of a patient's body such that the anchoring thereof is stable and accomplished without contacting the patient's skin with any type of adhesive strip or other attachment structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Medical treatment of a patient, particularly one who is hospitalized, frequently involves the attachment of a catheter or like tubular structure to various portions of the patient's body. Most commonly an intravenous tube (IV) includes a hub and a penetrating needle, which enters a blood vessel for providing the patient with blood, plasma, medicine or other fluids. It is also common practice to maintain the catheter in attached relation to the patient for extended periods. In doing so it is important that the IV tube or other catheter is adequately secured in its intended location in a manner which reduces the possibility of inadvertent removal due to movement of the patient and/or the source of fluid being administered.
Conventionally the anchoring or attachment of various types of catheters to the patient's body involve the use of adhesive tape or strips typically wrapped around a hub or other adjacent portion of the catheter structure. The adhesive coating or backing of the tape or strip is then secured directly to the skin of the patient adjacent to the entry site of the catheter. It is also common practice to use a plurality of such adhesive tape strips, wherein at least one strip is disposed immediately adjacent to the entry site and one or more additional strips are disposed in spaced relation thereto. In the latter application of a plurality of adhesive connectors, there is typically concern for the inadvertent removal due at least partially to the involuntary or voluntary movement of the patient. While adhesive tape, strips and like connectors are used extensively in the medical field it has long being recognized that such means of catheter securement involves numerous problems and disadvantages.
More specifically, the adhesive material directly contacting the patient's skin, while possibly including some type of anti-bacterial agent, frequently causes skin irritation particularly when the catheter is secured to the entry site for prolonged periods. In addition, regardless of the precautions taken, irritation to patient's skin may occur particularly when the patients are sensitive to adhesive material and/or other chemical agents. Also, elderly patients who commonly have thin and/or friable skin may encounter damage or reactions not only because of the adhesive material but because the adhesive tapes or connectors may have to be frequently replaced. In the treatment of hospitalized patients it is not uncommon for the adhesive tape connectors to loose their binding force as the patient perspires or when the adhesive is inadvertently contacted by liquid spills at or adjacent to the entry site. Further, it is common practice to replace the IV tubing or other catheter devices on a regular basis thereby requiring periodic removal of the adhesive strips and replacement of new adhesive connectors, substantially in the same location.
In light of the above noted disadvantages and problems associated with securing a catheter at a predetermined location adjacent to a preferred entry site, there have been attempts in the medical equipment industry to develop various types of anchoring or securement structures, which better facilitate maintenance of the catheter on the patient's body. However, while generally acknowledging that contact of the adhesive material directly to the patient's skin is problematic, the majority of such catheter anchoring devices appear to be primarily concerned with the secure attachment of the catheter, IV tube, etc. in a manner which attempts to reduce or eliminate the possibility of the catheter becoming inadvertently dislodged, as set forth above.
In approaching such problems known devices initially appear to place the IV tube, tube hub, needle and other associated components in direct contact with the skin, whereby an outer wrap or strip of material is secured about the IV tube and catheter structure in overlying relation thereto. In spite of the sometime complex nature of such anchoring devices, adhesive tape or like connectors are still used to secure the hub portion directly adjacent to the entry site in a manner which allows the adhesive material to contact the patient's skin. Accordingly, while known devices of the type set forth above are assumed to be at least minimally operative for their intended function, they do not completely overcome the problems set forth above. By positioning adhesive material in contact with the patient's skin, skin irritations and/or infections caused by such direct and prolonged contact still exist. Also, the required practice of frequently replacing such adhesive connectors, when the intravenous tubing is removed and reattached, compounds the above noted problems.
Based on the above, there is a significant and long recognized need in the medical field for a novel catheter securement assembly which facilitates the attachment of one or more catheters to individual entry sites of a patient's body in a manner which eliminates direct contact between adhesive tape or like adhesive connector structures with the skin of the patient. In addition, such an improved and preferred securement assembly aids in the maintenance of healthy skin conditions of the patients by having all or at least a significant portion which is structured to allow the skin of the patient to be exposed to circulating air. Such exposure is accomplished even when certain predetermined portions of the patient are at least partially covered by the structural components of the improved catheter securement assembly.
Also, an improved catheter securement assembly should, in its various preferred embodiments, demonstrate sufficient versatility to be attached to different portions of the users body to which a catheter, IV tube, etc. is commonly secured. Such predetermined portions of the user's body includes hand or wrist, forearm, upper arm/elbow, ankle, head, neck and throat area and nose and face area. Moreover, while the various preferred embodiments of an improved catheter securement assembly may be primarily intended for use on human patients, the versatility thereof should be readily adapted, with little or no structural modification for use on other animals including, but not limited to, dogs, cats, etc.